Police forces step up patrol near Saskatoon, Regina mosques

Police in Saskatoon and Regina are upping patrol near mosques in the wake of a fatal shooting in Quebec City.

The Saskatoon Police Service will be stationing officers at mosques in the city during scheduled prayer hours over the next few days, while the Regina Police Service will be increasing patrols in areas surrounding mosques.

“(It’s) just a way of letting people know that all of us belong in this community and all of us deserve protection,” Regina police spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich said.

The move is in response to a shooting Sunday night at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec, which has concerned many of Saskatchewan’s 14,000 Muslims.

Six people died in the attack and five were critically injured.

“If people in places of worship — temples, churches and mosques — are not feeling safe, we cannot feel safe anywhere,” said Faycul Haggui, a Muslim man in Regina.

Saskatoon police Chief Clive Weighill said he will be visiting each mosque in the city over the next two days.

“I’ll be visiting each of them to reassure them that the Saskatoon Police Service takes this very seriously, that we are here to protect them, that they can practice their faith here very safely and, if they have any issues at all, make sure they contact us,” Weighill said.

A 27-year-old man, Alexandre Bissonnette, is facing six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder in connection to the Quebec City attack.